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Wednesday's Daily Pulse
What you need to know about Florida today
› Florida county sees spike in deadly infections caused by "flesh-eating" bacteria after Hurricane Ian
In Lee County — where Ian made landfall on Sept. 28 as a Category 4 hurricane — officials say storm surges and subsequent flooding led to a spike in potentially deadly infections caused by Vibrio vulnificus, a species of bacteria found in warm, brackish water that typically comes in contact with humans through raw or undercooked seafood.
› Fort Lauderdale fiasco: Auditor shines light on how concert costs ballooned to $500k
It was a high-priced summer concert that drew a chill crowd of R&B fans to Fort Lauderdale’s Mills Pond Park. The $500,000 event — four hours of star-studded entertainment for around 5,000 to 10,000 locals — also served up a sharp warning on how City Hall can blow a budget. City Auditor Patrick Reilly, the man in charge of shining a light on fraud, waste and abuse at Fort Lauderdale City Hall, has uncovered a slew of problems with this year’s Summer Jamz concert. For starters, it cost well over its $152,400 budget. Taxpayers are picking up the tab.
› FIS appoints Stephanie Ferris as CEO
Fidelity National Information Services Inc. announced Oct. 18 that Stephanie Ferris, who was appointed president of the company in February, will become chief executive officer Jan. 1. Current CEO Gary Norcross will become executive chairman of the board on that date. Ferris, 49, had been chief financial officer of Worldpay Inc. and joined FIS when the financial technology company acquired Worldpay in 2019.
› Historic resort laying off 238 employees
South Seas Island Resort on Captiva Island is laying off 238 workers after being forced to close because of damage caused by Hurricane Ian. The resort announced the layoffs to the state Tuesday morning, Oct. 18. In a letter posted on Florida’s WARN database, the resort says it “was severely impacted by the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, resulting in the cessation of resort operations for the foreseeable future.” As a result, the resort will “temporarily reduce the number of employees.”
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